If your read the fine print, you’d know The escrow service enabling ripple to lock up their coins is going to create 55 contracts, each containing 1 billion ripple, with one contract expiring each month for 55 months. So on average a billion ripple will be unlocked a month for 4 and a half years. Ripple is essentially free to use the billion coins unlocked each month at their will. If they don’t use the 1 billion coins during the month, the remainder carries over into a new extra month topped on